


Coin Operated Boy..

by JabberWockyWednesday



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Depression, Drug Addiction, F/M, Mental Breakdown, Mental Instability, Ministry of Magic, Orphans, untraceable
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-17
Updated: 2017-09-20
Packaged: 2018-12-16 12:20:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11828643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JabberWockyWednesday/pseuds/JabberWockyWednesday
Summary: Severus Snape picks up a street child in hopes for the reward that comes with turning in unregistered magic. But, it is the truth that she carries that will bring upon his breaking point. The teacher who forces himself to forget must now come face to face with the sins of his treachery, regrets, and greatest mistakes.





	1. Coin Operated Boy.

**Author's Note:**

> A/n - I own nothing of Harry Potter. I made up Jessica. I love HP and I do try and represent the characters the best way I can.  
> The story is MultiPov. I hope you enjoy it.

**Chapter One**   
  
  


** Lucius Malfoy Pov. **

Nineteen year old, Severus Snape, twenty two year old, Lucius Malfoy and twenty year old, Walden Mcnaire stand silently among the shadows of a few gathered trees that were clustered just off a quiet Muggle street. It's late. The windows of the houses are dark and cold as the night sky, while the world sits in shadow as the moon is blackened out behind heavy rain clouds. Lucius stands tall as he always does, his long blond hair tied back by an elastic instead of a ribbon, his clothing blackened and embroiled with the brandishing of his evil. With gray, storming eyes, Lucius looks over to each of his companions as they stand in silent mental preparation for their upcoming mission.

Walden Mcnaire, a young man with a goatee and dull blue eyes holds his head tilted upwards, eyes closed and allowing the light rain that slides over the tree leafs to land on his twisted face and slide down into his collar. Lucius notes the man is rolling his wand between his black gloved fingers, a show of excitement towards the events to come.

Moving on, the blonde's eyes then drift to, Snape.

The thin, pale man stands cast in shadow with his head slouched forward, his hair falling in front of his face creating a curtain of dripping, black hair that masked his expression. Severus had been a companion of Lucius's for about two years before he joined Hogwarts, and through the younger many years, he had done his best to keep the Marauders at bay until young boy was molded into the venomous creature he currently was. Lucius's lip twitched upwards in pride as he takes a moment to evaluate the end result of all his years of work.

Over the span of Hogwarts the rather lanky, anti social shadow, Severus Snape had shown his worth in many ways but, his ticket into his life of spoils was when he introduced Narcissa to him. The pre-existing friendship of Snape and Black was not so surprising to Lucius, as both parties were middle class poor and held a long lasting and strong friendship through Severus's mother. Early on, Lucius promised himself that one day he would join the Snape/Malfoy family through the marriage of their kin, allowing them into forever wealth. Though, it must be pointed out that Severus's private life seemed to interrupt the thought of him ever producing kin.

Dipping his hand into the pocket of his black dueling robes, Lucius pulls out a single rolled parchment. A private and highly important task from the Dark Lord. They knew nothing of what was written on the parchment that none had yet to read, only knowing that their task was to be done flawlessly.

"Shall we go over the specifics, then?" Lucius drawled in a bored manner, only opening the scroll and reading when Severus gave a nod for the two of them.

"Right. First off… This is a non-kill mission. I repeat boys," Lucius founding his point by making direct eye contact, "the target can not die, or we all will face our mortality at his next calling. Our target is one Jessica Morrow." His eyes returned to the parchment, "the family is made up of four members. A father, a mother, a twenty-four-year-old brother, and our target. The target is female, black hair, gray eyes. Stands about..."

Lucius stalled and Severus and Mcnaire looked up, quietly addressing Lucius's faulting. Quickly clearing his voice, Lucius crumpled the paper before lighting it aflame in the palm of his gloved hand.

"She is three in a half feet tall, and six years old," he finished numbly, pulling out his wand.

The group felt the weight come down but no one spoke a word and instead matched their leader's action. Yes, they were Deatheaters. Uncaring, mercilessness, murderers of the night, but children were different, especially since they couldn't kill this one. Lucius' heart slammed against his chest as he forced his feet grounded. It had been ever since Draco was born that putting a wand to children had become a nauseating task; tasks he ended with the purifying breath of death for both of their sake.

"We can't kill anyone, even if they fight us." Lucius repeats as he starts away from the covered brush, "If they are good, we clear their mind of Jessica altogether. But we need the child alive and unscathed. Understood?" His voice became the strength the group needed and the two pulled their heads up and looked at Lucius as they followed behind.

"Mcnair."

Right away the wand was held up, pointed towards the cold, wet sky and with a flick of his tightly cuffed wrist, the street lights flickered off and the three disappeared behind silver masks and heavy silence. From the spot and their protection, they were gone, vanished into the darkness to form again on the white stone stoop of the correct home.

Looking at both of his men who stood beside him, Lucius tipped his head and pointed the wand towards the door lock.

"Alohomora," his voice whispered.

When the lock simply clicked and unlatched, Lucius found himself uneasy, his throat drying as his stomach churned. He didn't understand why the Dark Lord needed a seeming Muggle. Slowly, he was finding the ease in which he was to retrieve her, unsettling, to say the least.

"Like gentlemen now, shall we?" Lucius said with a forced strength, ignoring his own anxiety with a breath as his fingers clasp closed the buttons around his throat.

With a final head nod to his crew, Severus stepped forward and took the doors handle before throwing it open for Mcnair, who ran inside hissing silencing charms and security spells. Lucius strode in next and traveled at his leisure, disappearing inside the darkened house while Severus stayed behind to immediately shut, lock, and barricaded the front door. He would then apparate to the back of the house, landing on the slab of concrete outside the screen door that would lead directly into the kitchen which he would quickly pull open and enter.

The events rolled out in perfect timing as expected, and Severus would push through the kitchen door just as Lucius and Mcnair turned the corner of the kitchen. They found the family together and joined at the dinner table as expected, still rising from their seats when the kitchen was stormed.

"Sit down." Lucius hissed, bringing the family to freeze in mid-rise.

Taking his place in the front of the table, Lucius pushed his position as leader of the group to the frozen family. Hanging his arms with his wand twisting in his fingers, he remained quiet and scanned the small family before him. Giving a nauseating sigh behind his silver mask, he swallows the truth in front of him. For a last desperate search for magic, he looks over the yellow and white walls of the kitchen, he glances towards dirty dishes that sits as still in the sink, and to the pictures that hung on walls. Wood and pastel Muggle appliances scattered the room as electric lighting illuminated from very bright over head lights.

This was a completely Muggle family, who were in the middle of a normal weekday dinner and that were currently staring in confused fear at the sticks being pointed at them. For a moment, Lucius didn't know what to say. The family did falter at Lucius's request, but the father and young man did not back down as the mother sat and motioned the two young girls into their seats in a quiet panic.

"Sit. down." Lucius's voice repeated for the men, reflecting his rising irritation.

Instead, the two men fully stood and Lucius rolled his eyes and gave an audible sigh.

"Robert! Michael! What are you doing?! Sit down!" The wife cried in a panic, pulling down on the sleeve of her husband.

"Yes, Robert and Michael, you should sit down." Lucius voice remained calm, but carried a hint of venom now.

Now, you listen here!" The father began, rising hid yelling and threats as Lucius's jaw grit and his fingers tightened on his wand, ready to warn and punish.

As quickly as the rising tension of the room, they were all quickly silenced by a sharp and very loud bang which erupted from the corner. It hadn't been enough that muggle lights gave him headaches, one was rising from his entrance already, but now his ears rang, deafened, and he would cast his attention to Snape who stood holding a Muggle revolver towards the ceiling. Around him, small pieces of white plaster fell from a now present hole in the ceiling. Lucius chose to stay silent as the action seemed to do its job and the family quickly returned to their seats in silence. Saying nothing, Severus stood quietly in front the screen door, following the barrel of the gun downwards, with that of the sitting family.

Silence, and then the pulling of the lever cocked the gun and the family visibly shook.

Lucius's head throbbed and his vision fuzzed as the growing pain that centered around his temples now bled to behind his eyes. Severus did not hold the nickname "Half Blood Prince" lightly, and every now and then he would do something like this, that would remind Lucius why he called himself such. Nonetheless, this was an intimidation mission not a not a murder mission. The family was to continue their lives to tell the tale of a muggle child napping or even of nothing at all, and Lucius knew better than to attack until need be.

"Goood," Lucius purred, looking around the table as seats were taken.

The mother with her long brown hair and scared blue eyes, the father who's hair was a frosted black and with eyes so angry. There was the brother with muscles that show from under his shirt, his fathers gray eyes glaring.... And then there were the two young girls, which was when Lucius locked eyes with the matching eyed target.

"What do you want!" The mother cried. "Take anything you want, just don't hurt us, please."

Her high pitched voice rang in Lucius already pained skull and he kept strong eyes on the target as he tried to ignore the pain.

"Jessica." His voice was quiet but heard for it was a mother's worst fear. He spoke right to her, their eyes holding locked even after he finished.

"Jessi- you want my little girl? No!" The mother was shrieking now hysterically, "Please! Anything but her!" she began to frantically cry now, bringing the hype in the room to pick up once again.

"How the hell do you know my daughter?!" The father roared, leaping to his feet at once with his son and slamming his fist upon the tabletop.

With his only desire to cease the rising racket outside his brain, he nods to McNair, and the wand was flicked and the man dropped to the floor in pure agony.

The family's attention was quickly redirected into chaotic fear as the father hit the tile floor hard and began writhing under the extreme power and his ever tightening throat. Holding the point for unforgettable seconds, it wasn't until Lucius nodded again when McNaire would pull the curse and the family would stay silent under a new found respect towards the wands being pointed at them.

"Did I stutter?" Lucius rose his voice as he gave a swing of his arm while he spoke. "You want us to leave, fair enough, we will go. But I'm bringing the child with me."

The father's red eyes bore at the masked invader in quiet hate as he pulled himself up off the ground and onto the chair with help from his wife.

"Good. Now, I'm offering a final deal. You give me, Jessica, and I will ease your pain by taking her from all your memories." Lucius played the part of the double edged angel.

"I will never! Hand you my daughter!" The father went to roar again, his voice pushing out instead in a pathetic wisp.

With not much care towards the opinions of the family, Lucius turned to the child and opened his hand towards her. "Jessica, dear. Come here lass, your delay will only create more pain." He purred to her with the same tone he would call young Draco, though his words were mimicked in sick disconnection.

The room flashed in a sudden brightness as another ear splitting bang went off and a searing pain ripped through Lucius side. The hit threw him off balance and brought his hands to retreat to his ribs. After that, he would recall no more. The room fell into total chaos around him in an unrecognizable blur. There was yelling and flashing of spells and shots that littered the air and streamed by his sides, but Lucius was only aware of the blood that seeped through his fingers. In what seemed like a while but was only meer seconds, he felt his knees buckle and himself fall in slow motion to the ground. His knees would hit the tile floor in a numbed pain just as a green spell cracked over his shoulder. Blind to it all, it took a moment longer for Lucius who sat on his knees bent over, to slow his dissociation and bring his eyes to see again and his world to run in that of the current state. His world sped up to normal and he realized he was still in the kitchen. Looking around, his eyes focused on the green haze that floated over the floor and rose half way up his kneeling self. The toxic glow in the darkness told him of what transpired during his shock; the silence echoing the tale of recent sins.

Lucius filched as he felt a hand land on his shoulder.

"There was someone up the stairs." Severus' voice hovered above his ear as he lowered himself to his side. "You're wounded, but not dying." The feeling of tugging up on his robe pulled Lucius to his feet slowly.

"Where is the girl?" his voice hissed, warped between painful breaths as his knees gave away and he found himself back on the floor.

"She ran upstairs. Mcnaire is following her. Here, take this."

Without hesitation, Lucius gulped down the potion that with anyone else he would have asked, and even inspected before hand. But Severus was different, the trust Lucius held for the man was true and well earned from a long time ago. Feeling the pain subside and the blood quickly slow, Severus helped him up to his feet again and together, they moved towards the stairs.

"Walk soft." Severus warned as they moved up the first step, "I can't fully heal you until the bullet is out. "

Half way up, Lucius pulled away, straining his pride given strength to walk fully on his own using the wooden banister instead for assistance.

"Wait. Lucius huffed. "Something isn't right." He stopped their steps at the top of the stairs and glanced around the hallway corner anxiously.

Severus instantly understood what his associate meant and he stopped at Lucius side to listen. The house sat quiet. Unnaturally quiet for the situation and they passed a glance before continuing. Moving on as quietly as Lucius could muster, they quickly checked behind every door, cleared every room and locked every closet that lined the darkened, upstairs hallway, but, it was the dead man on the floor that told a story tracing to the room at the end of the hall. Upon approach, both men could feel Mcnaire's magic radiating through the door along with a darkened feeling of another form of strong potential energy that brought them to stall before entering.

Stalling was not something they did, especially Lucius, but being the wounded, he would place his hand on the door handle and with a nod from Severus, throw it open. Pushing on into the room with their wands extended, the two stopped their advance and froze when they saw Mcnaire in front of them, slouched over unconscious under a trail of blood that slid down to where he lay sitting up right. In their distraction, they didn't see what stepped from the shadows, and they spun around in a hurry when the bedroom door slammed shut. Eyes widening, it was the small Jessica who stood stalk in front of the exit wearing a straight face under messy hair and teary eyes.

"Ah, love," Lucius huffed with a dark, thankful chuckle. "Thank goodness we found you. Come now." His voice turned to viper like trance as he reached his gloved hand out towards the girl for a second try.

The next thing that happened, was the last either of them would remember. She had closed eyes tight and with a splash of hot air that touched their faces, Lucius and Severus would fall into the black abyss of unconsciousness with Mcnair.

**Severus POV:**

He had been the first to wake hours later when the sun was high in the sky and lit the room and the house that continued to sit in grave, heavy silence. He pulled himself painfully to his feet and grabbed onto the bedpost when his vision spun and flipped. Removing his mask for proper air, he looked around the waving room and assessed their situation. It was the bedroom of a young girl that they had entered and from what Severus would guess, it had been Jessica's. Pinks, reds, and whites color the space as pictures and posters hang on the walls and sit on shelves and furniture tops. A pink wooden toy box sits in the corner as the bed juts out from the opposing wall covered by a pink canopy that was made up with red cartoon printed sheets. He found the very pale Lucius still on the deep red carpeted floor circled by a sopping darkness that had drained from his wound and mouth in the hours that had passed. Mcnaire was still leaned slouched against the wall, and Severus frowned in a disgust as the blood that trailed down the wall matched that of the light red wall paper. Giving a slip of a potion to each, both men found their consciousness and awoke soon after.

The team of three would go on to half heatedly search the house, each knowing the girl was far gone. They knew this as fact, but they would search anyway. It was a sense of fear driven responsibility that pushed them to do so through their wounds and damages, and if the Dark Lord asked, at least they wouldn't be lying. The family was dead. The mother, the father, and brother lay open eyed on the kitchen tile as the anonymous shooter lay sprawled on the second story hallway floor with the pistol still held in his now rigged fingers. The second young girl, the innocent, lay dead inside a closed bedroom closet in a room they didn't go into.

A mission of complete disaster. All three men wished for the death given to the family and would soon apparate from the death stricken house in the same silence they had searched in. By now, Lucius was leaning heavy on both men and looked quite ashen. His top priority would be healing Lucius and Mcnair before the Dark Lord summoned them all again.

Their time limit was unknown and the men continued on in limbo through the day as the outcome of their failure held unknown consequences.

They didn't know why their master was so interested in this young girl and they each choose not to ask themselves or each other. They hardly remembered what happened at all and with vague points, they would each recount what they could to Voldemort. But, of course, words did nothing to their failure and they were each punished accordingly for their faults in their attempt to gather the target, the girl that would be been lost to them for now.


	2. Demons in the Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are addiction topics in this chapter.  
> That's your trigger warning. Enjoy!

Chapter 2: Demons in my Day

**Severus Snape POV.**

_Hogwarts - Sometime Around 1988_

Severus Snape lets out a low groan that drags from deep within his chest as he rolls over from his side and onto his back. Opening his eyes, he focuses on the deep green tapestries that hung over him as he lay in bed. He thought back to the days where he was able to rise to the morning and go but, it had been the constant abuse from the Dark Lord that left his rather young self, sore and stiff every morning instead. Not even in his mid 30's yet, his knees cracked as he stood and his neck tightened as if it were going to give out as he pulled his legs over the side of the bed and stood.

This war couldn't end fast enough, he thinks to himself as he rubs a bruised, painful spot on his bicep.

Rolling his eyes sarcastically at his own thoughts, he runs his fingers through his hair.

What did it matter? It wasn't like he'd ever be "normal" again anyway. If he ever had been, to begin with.  

He sighs out a heavy breath and pushes off the bed to start his day.   
  
He had been left affected too deeply by the horrors of his past, and to ever be able to fully move on seemed like an expectation far out of his reach. Memories of cold floors under his skin rippled through his mind as his fingers grazed chilled desk tops and stone walls. During the day, the sensation of escaping blood running from open wounds burned from under his healed skin and behind his eyes as the corridors of his childhood remind him daily of what once was. At night, he was haunted by the screams of the many torturous curses ripping from both his own throat and the throats of his victims; the weeping to a God that wouldn't save them haunted him, and Severus knew that he would never be able to shake the noise of it.

His life was over while his body still lived on. His life did not allow friendship or affection of the slightest which makes a man turn cold after so many years. The initial disconnection was easy, every sense of trust Severus once held had already broken a long time ago by enough people he once kept close. The Dark Lord was a ruthless controller with a love for torturing to get what he wanted with no emotional limit; only meant to kill and to cause pain where it pleased. After having traveled places he could never come back from and seeing things that would haunt his being for the rest of days, Severus simply figured it was easier to let no one care about him at all and in turn, not to care for anyone.

He takes up stride through his private bed quarters and into the lavatory where he stops before the sink and dips his hands under the warm running faucet. Taking in the warmth that waves over his cut and calloused fingers, he splashes water over his face before leaning heavily on his wrists, propping himself against the porcine skin. Taking a moment to look at his shirtless self in the mirror, his eyes trace the memories of addiction and bad endings that scarred and marked across his chest, neck and arms. His eyes traced the dark lined veins that bled into his blackened branding that reminded him of the when the weight of his existence finally broke his young shoulders and brought him to escape the only way he knew how, the only way his father ever taught him.

No one seemed to notice his new-found habit at first, and he seemed to get away with his act for a good while. But, just like he knew would happen, it was one high decision that would ruin the rest of his life. Severus would never be able to forgive himself nor would he ever get a proper chance of reconciliation and that in its self was enough to keep a crack in his heavy weighted shoulders. It had been a short time before the death of Lily when he had pushed to the man who felt like a father to every student of Hogwarts. Albus Dumbledore. First, they only talked about foolish, pointless things as his arm itched, but soon enough he was crying and rambling gore and murder while promising to a life of light between shivering lips.

Severus was dead already inside by then. A hollow feeling, where he coughed up webs and spiders that would repel and chase away those around him. For the next years and into in the eve of the strength gaining storm, he would feel the chill of isolation now more than ever.

Three years, Severus pushes to himself as he buttons his shirt and robe, Harry Potter will come to Hogwarts.

This will all be over soon.

He sighs a final time before stepping through the exit. He pulls on the face that showed his irritation towards life. And feels his body strain in anxiety.

At least, if not anything else, he felt with every step that he was indeed making Lily proud.

* * *

**Haven Pov**

It had been cold last night.

A deadly reminder of the oncoming winter, but, the money Haven stole that day would give her enough to rent a night's sleep in a barn a few miles from the city where she covered herself in hay and ate from a can. As she ate, she made plans to adjust with the air, to travel the city dumpers of the always busy Saturday crowds and wasteful apartment dwellers.

Tomorrow, she would travel by train to the financial district of London to search for what would get her through the next few days, before continuing on to pit pocketing which always promised a good payout on weekends in expensive people with heavy pockets. Through the day she would collect a heavy jacket, a few zipper sweaters, a hat, the second layer of thick pants, along with socks and potential shoes, but for now, that night, Haven would fall asleep warm and with a full stomach, sharing the space with a creeping barn cat and huffing horses.

...

Once her jacket had been switched and her socks changed with those much cleaner, she stood hidden, cast in shadow away from the midday sun in the alleyway opening. She was preparing herself for her next job, her more dangerous job. Watching well mannered and beautiful people pass by her unknowingly she hoped for success and with a deep breath, pulled her hood up and pushed herself from the alleyway and into a hurrying crowd.

Now that she was warm with more clothing hidden in a secure place, her target was cash and from there, food. So, she would travel through the crowded streets, bumping and picking from purses and pockets, crediting her innocence to her age which at some point over the last few days had noticed had lessened in it's charm. She had turned thirteen at some point a few days ago and noticed herself losing her innocent, childlike face for a strong jaw and prominent cheek bones and cold, stricken eyes.

She was growing up.

Someday's she would beg for money, it was a safer option and she would linger close to friends for protection but most days the payout wasn't worth it compared to picking pockets and the rush of the steal. It was a job that could get you punched and beaten, or worse, could get you forced into foster care or passed off to an locked down institution. But, unlike the other children that she watched travel with their mothers and families daily, her gaze would drop from a life she was never allowed as Haven had no other choice than to live the way she did. Her life was to rely on herself to survive in a world where her parents had died and no other family would take her.

Slowing her steps, she allowed a new wave of people to quickly walk past her and from there decided to stroll a few streets before picking up her game once more. As a time passed, her eyes settled on a tall man dressed in a long, black coat that hung open waving close to him in his steps. His hair was thick and shoulder length, dropping over the sides of his face and blocking his peripherals for her advantage.

Perfect.

Haven smiled as her heart began it's rush, her eyes zeroing in just as a predator in hunting.

She slipped behind him, passing people and closing the space slowly. She's taking the time to observe her target. He was tall and thin and did not look in the best of physical shape. She watched his left pocket swing with weight as his stride continued onward confidently. Sliding closer, her steps now matched his as she was now testing his attention and assessing his financial worth by clothing stitch and personal decoration. Her timing would match with the opening of a long alleyway and with one smooth move she leaned into him as if she tripped, controlling her weight to fall against him, her hand making it's way into his pocket, pulling out whatever she felt.

"Sorry!" She exclaimed, and used his push back to pull out her hand and take off down the open alley.

She broke to a hard toe jump run but was immediately yanked back by her arm. To her shock, he had his fingers wrapped around her wrist, his eyes shining venomously and with a murderous anger as he yanked her back towards him. With an expert wrist twist, she broke free and took off into the city traffic, dodging and weaving through squealing taxis to the other side of the street where she leaped onto a row of newspaper containers and spun around quickly. Her eye's met his for the fleeting moment she needed to see his foot land firmly on top of the hood of a horn blaring taxi before taking off again.

With a quick jump, she leaped back into the crowd and slid quickly into a nearby alley.

She didn't know if she lost him, but she ran a familiar route until she could breathe no more. Full of immediate turns and chain linked fences she knew far too well, only the most advanced free-runners with already had knowledge of the route could accomplish the feat quickly enough to catch up.

With one last turn, she had made her way to an exit rout where on both sides were open to busy street and she slid herself into a small crevice between the shadow of two buildings. The brick walls were stories high and the space was a single person slot that only someone of her age and stature could fit standing comfortably in. She choked on her breaths from burning lungs  that cried for more air as she tried not to pass out. She shuffled as far back as she could until the walls connected into a point and her back was chilled by the brick. She listened blindly to the sound of silence that came from out the small slot and after a minute, her breathing began to slow and her body softened. She found her mind moving from panic to where she was and she slipped her hand into her pocket to pull out her gain and assess its worth. She had in her hand a hearty bag of coins that were held in an old fashioned, deep green coin purse with a silver tightening string, and a polished wooden stick. The stick she had felt slip from the man's sleeve when her fingers grasped for air on the first release and as she examined it thoroughly, she saw it was made of deep brown polished wood with a hand carved handle formation at one side.

She had enough time to smile at the stick in her hand when without warning, a pop erupted from out in the ally and a hand whipped into the crevice, grabbing her arm tightly before violently yanking her. She tried resisting as long as she was able, struggling to use whatever grip she could find on the cold brick sides and the stone ground under her heels. But, the stranger was strong and she was ripped from the small space and thrown into the larger, open alleyway where she used her weight by tumbling to her knees to force his grip to break way. Immediately stumbling a few steps she pulled herself up and turned wide eyed when she realized the person who pulled her from the ally and now stood tall in the light, was the same black haired man she had pick-pocketed and who had followed her across the street.

She stared in shock as the heavy moment of meetings wore on in silence, her boots planted firmly on the ground, her fingers tightening around the wood that felt as if it were warming in her palm. The look in the man's black eye's struck fear into her soul and there was no doubt to his impending violence. She had been caught before by men like this, men who didn't mind forcing in a fist or a kick to her, sometimes more if the opportunity was 'right'. Nothing was worse than a thieving street rat, no crime easier to get away with than the beatings to a child of the gutter.

Haven went and did the only thing she could think of and raised the wand at the man who took his first step, pointing the tip directly between his eyebrows. Keeping her eyes on the man her thoughts left physicality as she slipped into the world she had created long ago. The world where she was strong and powerful. The world where she could conquer all with this new magic wand she was holding tightly in her hand.

The man straightened up and gave a chuckle, his first sign of humanity while taking a now lightened step towards her.

"Give that to me." The man's voice was quiet but his eyes and energy sparked her skin and rose the hair on the back of her neck and arms.

With a flick of her wrist, a small spark erupted and the man froze and lowered his gaze to her as she stood silent and wide-eyed.

"You don't know what you're doing you silly boy. Give that to me! Now!" The man hissed, taking another step closer and reaching out with one hand.

"I will not." She said quietly, more to herself than for him as her own steps were made backward.

The man's eyebrow arched and Haven found she had enough with all of this. Pulling her arm back she gave one powerful thrust at her elbow, bringing a thick blue beam to burst from the tip of the wand that would have been amazing if it hadn't been immediately broken with a wave of the man's own hand. Still, he retreated a few steps back nonetheless.

From there they stared silently at each other, Haven's stomach-churning with nausea at an unnatural feeling that was lingering in the air.

"Look here, lad!" The man's voice growled, "I don't know how you got off the groun-"

"I'm not a boy!" Haven bit harshly, thrusting the wand threateningly towards the stranger, though this time its tip giving no effect.

She came off fearless for her being. She had to. She had no other choice but to stand strong with her voice held stiff and dominating, for she felt confident in her violent abilities and what she believed would be a lacking of in her assailant. Her other hand slipped behind her back and her fingers wrapped around the handle of her trusty pocket knife, a weapon she always carried. She would take a quick punch or kick, but if he had plans of going further, she was sure to fight back with her silver blade.

The man's voice stalled his next words, faulting on how to properly respond.

"Why aren't you on school grounds?!" He demanded with an authoritative voice after a moment.

Haven furrowed her brow in confusion and after a moment the man peered at her just the same. A small tingle erupted behind Havens eyes that she at once rubbed at and tried to blink away. It wasn't until she took control of her attention and with a strong connection where she created imagery locking doors. Seeing the man's eyes flicker away, almost immediately after the tension suddenly dropped and she was left feeling open and insecure for reasons she didn't fully understand.

"How old are you?" his voice was quiet and graveled like a stone as his neck turned to check the space on either side of them and then above them.

Her voice held caution as she pushed out her strength quickly, "Thirteen." she answered confidently.

She took a step back as his black eyes flickered to her and looked her up and down, "and, I am not your teacher?"

Her head shook no and she watched the man take another step closer.

"And, you are not a student?"

She shakes her head no again and takes a cautionary step back, her palm warming under the wand once again.

As if the man noticed her growing anxiety, he stopped his steps and opened his hands at his side for her view, giving a sign of submission before addressing her again.

"Do that again."

When she didn't respond, with a slice of irritability he elaborated further.

"What you did with that towards me, do it again."

A moment of silence passed again before her grip began to loosen and the tip of the wand tilted downwards as she shoulder was shrugged.

With an orchestrated move he stepped out of the way of the wand, exposing a stacking of boxes behind him while maintaining his distance he said,

"Try."

His voice was said from under his breath as his long finger pointed to the stack of boxes and she nodded weakly. Taking a deep breath, she focused up all her attention and felt the pulse of the wand's warmth tingle her hand again. Her eyes rest and focused ahead on the boxes that lay down the line of the wand and with a sharp flick, a red light shot from the tip and the boxes exploded, sending cardboard pieces falling everywhere. Dropping the wand and stumbling back in shock, she trips in her panic over another pile of shipping boxes behind her and falls roughly to the tarmac.

Quickly, she crawled back as she watched his steps approach, and her eyes widened as he left the wand on the ground and instead, extended a hand towards her as he glanced at the ally end aside them. She ignored him and pulled herself up on own and as she did her hood fell back exposing her unevenly cut, black, spiky hair.

"Where are your parents?" He asked her cautiously, taking in her clothing and grungy appearance.

"Gone."

She tried to ignore the itch that slid under her skull again and thought of herself closing a castle door that would force it to stop. To her surprise, along with the feeling of sadness, so went away the tingling.

"What's your name?" He asked sternly, glaring away with a stone awkwardness she could feel radiating off him.

"Haven."

He gave a disbelieving glance but said nothing and instead with a deep breath in, straightened up his posture and looked around the quiet alley before continuing.

"I think you should come with me." He said, sounding unsure of his own words.

"But -"

With a snap of his fingers, his wand flew off the ground and pulled directly into his palm and closing fingers. Nodding, his eyes never breaking from her, he placed himself beside her, his black eyes shining dead and void like while a slight urgency sat hidden in his features. He looked away and pointed his direction with his wand to a similar box and with a flick of his wrist, the box lifted quietly from the ground and floated over before setting gently down before them.

She stared at the box, then at the man who silently nodded.

…

"So, what's your name anyway?" Haven asked, stopping next to the man who stood at the end of the alley. He was watching the people pass by without a notice of them. He looked stressed, and very much in his mind.

She looked over curiously as the man took a slow breath.

"Severus. My name is Severus." He said in a slow sigh.

"You have a funny name," she smirked.

"Thank you." His voice grumbled.

Without a minute more to stall, his hand tightened behind her neck and he guided the young girl out into the hurry of people.


	3. Finding Fables

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This set of chapters on both my stories (you should also check out my other story too!) Took a lot longer to post than I meant. Sorry! Enjoy!

**Chapter 3: Finding Fables**

* * *

**Minerva McGonagall**

  
"What in Merlin's high name do you mean by, you " _found"_  her!?"

Minerva McGonagall's voice is low and forced calm, but she knew Severus could hear the sharp, drastic edge and heavy condescending bites from her tone as she looked around him to the young girl who currently sat on her couch. The child was hunched over, hood drawn and feet kicking her legs back and forth, her toes just able to scrape the floor. Her fingers picked at the armrest. 

Her nervousness would be quietly noted. 

It was quickly after their arrival when Minerva had placed the girl in her common area before pulling Severus into the darkened kitchen saying he was to aid her with tea, which is where they stood now, speaking in low tones.

"I have no other way to explain what this is." His voice growled angerly as he quickly began to lose his temper. "Never registered, never studied and too young to have graduated from anywhere. But she uses my wand against me..." He pauses, which brings her eyes to him. "Further more, it appears my abilities to unlock the psyche seem incompetent against her own practiced fortitudes." He sets the kettle on the stove heavily and turns from her as she stands in silence, weighing the entirety of truth behind his words.

"I can't read her mind." He simplifies more out discomfort of the sitting silence than that of the insult and rude behavior his tone reflected.  She knew this, as she knew the feat of his Legilimency skills, and to hear he couldn't break this girl sounded as implausible as an infant killing the Dark Lord all on his own.

"Furthermore," He continued solemnly with a hand wave, "I had Lucius review Ministry transcripts. Nothing of the event in the alley is noted."

She watches him standing, looking at the kettle and as much she wants to comment on the implausibility of untraced magic, there was one part of what he said that stuck with her, and bothered her the most. 

"So, Lucius Malfoy knows?" Minerva glared irritably at the man's black cloaked shoulder as he still refused to look at her.

"Favors were owed and I haven't the access he possesses. I figured something was recorded." He sighed, turning back and meeting the woman's eyes. "As well, he's reviewed the updated rewards agenda for unregistered and the untraceable. Everyone loves a gold reward, right, Minerva?"  A cobra smirk breaks his lips as he slides his eyes on to that of the igniting stove.

"You talk as if she's a thing." She reprimanded.

"I wouldn't call us acquainted." He shrugged simply.

His colleague said nothing but he soon found himself ignoring the weight of Minerva once again as she weighs in his words behind heavy eyes.

"I will never understand your friendship with that man." She sighed, circling the table in her approach to the shadowed professor.

"Then how wonderful it must be that you don't have to." He spits, "Stay on topic!" His eyes flashed towards an invisible line on the floor that he expected the unfazed women to stay behind.

"Fine, Severus." She sighed as her steps casually walked the edge of his line while she strolled to the cabinet that contained the cups, "Let me see if I understand properly.." With her back to Severus, she opens the cabinet door and begins to speak as she lowers tree cups and saucers onto the counter."' ' _Yo_ _u_ '… _F_ _ound,_ a thirteen-year-old, orphan," One cup and saucer is placed, not a wand is yet to be drawn.  "who never received her Hogwarts letter. Okay." The second cup and saucer are placed. "I'll admit, it has happened. But, and here is where I begin to cast doubt," The third cup is placed upon its saucer and Minerva turns to meet his oily gaze. "Now, you're also telling me, she is untraceable?"  
  
There's silence. The ticking of the kitchen clock is the only noise besides the fireplace that crackles from the common space and the mutual sounds of life between the three.

"Don't say it like that." He says eventually, pushing away from the stove and making even more room more between them.

"Well, is that what happened or not?!" Minerva quietly demanded, taking another step closer and placing two cups and saucers on the table between them.

She watched the man struggle with the black and white of what he didn't want to admit, but after a moment, with his eyes glaring angrily at the lightly steaming tea pot, his head nods and he admits in a solid, emotionless tone, 

"Yes."

She stared at the man before her, unknowing how to continue or where to start. Giving up and unable to process anymore from the infuriating man, the elderly witch glanced across the kitchen and through the small hallway and into the family room. 

The girl was still picking the couch.

"I wonder why you brought her here?" she asked out loud to the quietly ticking wall clock.

But she knew why, and most of it had been because he knew she wouldn't have believed him if he hadn't. 

Neither the clock nor Severus would respond. Instead, the man would cross his arms and lean his back against the counter like an angry child, his eyes resting over the headmistresses head and focusing on the rooster print wallpaper in the corner of the kitchen. Minerva understood his silence and gave a nod before making her way to the counter to take and place the final cup and saucer onto the center placed wooden table.

She had been sympathetic during Severus's school years, as a young man she ensured his worth at Order meetings, and then at some point between then and now, a mutual respect and a form of trust generated between the two who had spent much time together. The man would be hard to tolerate most days but, Minerva had seemed to adapt, taking notice to his triggers which made him slightly easier to manage. They shared a sort of friendship full of lovely arguments and harsh words, but it was these very rare occasions that allowed her to understand just how high she was placed within his preferences.

Minerva sighed with the sound of the ticking wall clock and she looked up and watched him. She watched him approach with the kettle and fill three cups and place the kettle back. She would go on to watch with pressed lips as he pulled from his pocket a vial of clear liquid and drip three drops into only one cup. He felt her watching him as he would go on to mix the tea before sliding that one across the table to her with the back of his hand without a word.  
  
Picking up the tea along with another, Minerva lay her gaze on the stone man for a quiet, ignored moment before turning around and approaching the girl who quickly looked up from her seat.

"Good evening, young one." Minerva started in a tone only meant for the broken as she entered through the living room threshold, "My name is, Professor McGonagall."

The older women spoke in a light, warm tone and she smiled a smile that could relax and soothe. Placing the steaming cup of tea on the table in front of the guest, Minerva would place herself on the couch across from the child who instead of engaging in any sort of interest, kept her eyes cast towards the shadowed kitchen. Minerva would watch the child stare for a long, quiet moment until the form Severus seeped from the darkness of the night cast kitchen and leaned himself against the threshold of the lit living room. Minerva followed her gaze and meet eyes with her younger colleague before she looked back to realize the child, or rather a young teen, now stared directly at her.

"You've met my friend, Severus, I see." Minerva speculated gently and when no response was granted, Minerva would wave an inviting hand towards the tea before taking a sip of her own.

She didn't touch the cup.

"He tells me you can do special kinds of magic tricks. Is that true?"

The teen's eyes flashed from Severus, back to her before a nod was given.

"He tells me you're thirteen years old?"

Another nod.

"That's wonderful," Minerva took another sip, "the age of the adulthood some call it. Haven, ... that is your name?"

Another nod.

"Has anyone ever asked you about schooling?" She would casually ask, "or maybe a strange owl came to you at one point?"

Minerva tried to be careful with her words while she kept a grandmotherly tone, but Haven seemed to be no fool or in search of any sort of help of any kind, for she sat in continued silence giving no useful information while casting a cold look from within her gaze.

After a tense moment of waiting and no sign that the cup would be taken from, Minerva turned at her shoulders to look up at her colleague, asking him for assistance with a strained expression.

Giving a sigh that came from deep within his chest and was mixed with both inconvenience and boredom, she watched the man push himself off the wall while rolling his eyes. As if he traveled like water, his fluid steps moved him to the girl's side soundlessly and as he landed himself on the cushion next to Haven, he glanced at her. The ticks of the clock would be counted as the two women watched him sit with his arms on his knees of his slightly spread legs. After a minute of thinking, he leaned further forward and while glancing at Minerva, pulled his wand from his sleeve and handed Haven the wooden handle. With hesitance that prompted a head nod, her fingers wrapped around the black wood and she pulled the wand from his unwrapping grasp. He would look away then, and she would follow his gaze to a framed portrait that hung on the wall across from them. Maintaining the silence that the Potions Master longed for, he gave her a final nod before Haven would take a deep breath and give a flick the wand in the proper direction.

With a gout of fire, the portrait immediately burst into flames and the frame splintered apart in different directions. She dropped the wand the moment the damage ignited and the wooden wand flew back into the palm of its owner before touching the ground. Minerva would glare irritably at Severus who himself wore a self-accomplished grin as he quickly extinguished the flames and mended the fixture.

"And, how do you know The Ministry didn't track that?" Minerva asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"When one casts a spell within the Ministry from the wand of a dead man, one would expect a notice of some sort to come chasing.."

"I'm done with this!" A hard voice rose up from the seat next to, Severus. "I don't like you talking about me like I'm not here!"  
  
It was Haven who snapped with her voice very angry and her words surprising both adults who now turned their attention to her.

* * *

_**** Haven - Flash Back**** _

_She remembered the trip to the Ministry of Magic and remembered the grasp Severus had held on the back of her neck the entire time. She was told nothing about the place, only ordered to follow him which for whatever reason she had. By the name, she thought it was a place where nerds met to talk about nerdy things or the name of a really bad social club.... She was given no time to herself and was rushed through leaving little time for looking at the unexpectedly amazing place. She gathered it was an important place where he had taken her, what with its secret entrances, expensive floors and high domed ceiling. She noted that most people, of the many many people, wore clothing that looked very sophisticated and richly made; and all with heavy pockets. Some were walking with others, while others carried boxes of screeching things, and paper airplanes flew vicariously through the air above their heads in ways she didn't understand not one bit. She had never seen people like this before. Their robes and hair and the way they carried themselves brought hundreds of laughable commentary to her mind that she wouldn't say out loud._

_He had told her not to talk, and she didn't have a problem with that request quite frankly._

_Old fashion robes seemed to be the fashion at this job and Haven found herself immediately uncomfortable and out of place among the curious gazes of those she passed. Severus had pulled his hood up and now understood why. Their gazes were quite heavy and constant. There was also an easiness to these people; an easiness that brought her to chuckle as she slipped her hand into a passing strangers robe, successfully withdrawing a coin bag undetected by its patron or those around her._

_In a flash, without him missing a stride, Snape's fingers were wrapped around her wrist in a painful, constricting hold which brought up an involuntary flinch._

_"Not here!" Snape hissed quite furiously, yanking the bag from her hand as his grip on her wrist dropped. She felt his fingers around the back of her scruff tighten that much more and he tugged her closer, bringing her to walk nearly under his arm and cape._

_For the rest of the travel, Haven would do her best to ignore the strange looks from the few people that noticed them and after a few turns, a sharply, oddly moving elevator, she found they had entered an empty hallway where eventually they landed before a blank, wooden, office door. There, behind that wooden barrier, she would granted the 'privilege' of meeting the sitting, venom spitting cobra that was, Lucius Malfoy._

_Even from her first glance, all that man reminded her of was every shining example of every evil villain in every book or movie, ever. Strikingly handsome with beautiful long blond hair, strong features, and a heart quivering grin, he was wearing what looked to be the most expensive of robes and wear. His movements were liquidly light as his voice came as a dark velvet purr. What she could have instantly fallen into, she was just as quickly pulled from as she felt a darkened power pulsing from his walking staff the moment it touched the stone floor. As he stood from behind the large wooden desk, his aura rose the room into a zapping, eel infested water with a thick, populated cobwebbed air.  The hair on the back of her neck rose and her feet slowed her walking. Still, she would sink beneath his venomous gray eyes as Severus continued, now pulling her with more force towards the beautiful aristocratic creature who stood leaning against the large, deep wooden desk._

_"Lucius, stop," Severus ordered irritably, his voice echoing in the room and triggering an insulted face from the blond. Nonetheless, Haven felt the energy pull back very dramatically as if he'd taken a blanket from over her and she was, for the first time, rising into the room._

_"So, this is her then?" Lucius asked dully, stopping before his seeming acquaintance as his eyes dragged over her with a look of disgust._

_They all met nearly in the center of the office now, though closer to the desk than the door. During the conversation between men, Haven was given the break she wanted and looked around her for the first time since entering The Ministry. Dusty, half haphazardly stacked books sit on dusty table tops. Random, non-matching chairs, desks, and frayed rugs scatter the area making up a lame set up that had been pushed around the windowless square room. It wasn't impressive and, Koan landed on, was not the office of this man they were currently here to meet._

_"Lucius,"_

_"Severus." Lucius interrupted, his eyes meeting the_ man's _black inkwell gaze. His voice dropped suddenly into a dangerous caution. "My word is given, and I will not assure you again. Answer my question, or leave."_

_A moment of sizing dominance through glares would pass before Severus dropped his gaze and nodded. Haven watched Lucius hold his glare on Severus for a moment longer before turning his heel and walking around to the back of the desk._

_"_ Well _, the-"_

_"Who are you?" Haven interrupted, flinching at once under Lucius's suddenly sharp glare._

_"No one you want to know," Lucius said slowly in an attempt to silence her with fear._

_"Then why does he get to know?" Haven pushed along, looking at her guide._

_Lucius's lip twitched but he finished pulling the wand out from the drawer and slithered over to her._

_"Hush." Was the only thing he said._

_Lucius would go on to instruct nothing, only hand her the wand before stepping away, directing her with his eyes to the large wooden desk. She looked back and saw that he had landed at the side of the disgruntled looking, guide. Passing her gaze, Haven looked to Snape who gave her a sharp nod and crossed his arms in front of his chest._

_She took a deep breath and closed her eyes._

_._

_***********End Of Flash Back*********** _

* * *

**Haven:**

Now she sat here, on this old worn couch, in this old woman's house that smelled of old person life and dust. The house was somewhere off in a quiet part of England, away from the only train station to the city. She had been pulled place to place like an obedient dog, silently doing what this stranger wanted and hadn't gotten one, single thank you.  
  
Her patience had finally run out.  
  
She spent a whole day being dragged and shoved into places she'd never seen, to and from rooms inside buildings she'd never heard of, and all around people who seemed to be normal, but a culture that she had never witnessed. All with no explanation of what or where was next and frankly, she was hungry and had enough. For her, she was talking to freaks in stupid outfits with stupid names who did stupid magic tricks. All of this was stupid and the least anyone could do, was be nice to her. Minerva glanced down at the angry girl and rose to her feet.

"Severus, may I speak to you in private?"

Haven turned her gaze to Snape who stood at once, gave a slight shrug at her, and wordlessly slipped into the darkness of the kitchen. She let them without telling them that she could hear enough to know what was going on from her spot on the couch.

"What's your opinion?" The old woman asked once they were out of view and Haven had started listening in.

"She's unmarked and uncanny." Spoke the black haired guide she had foolishly followed. "That alone is enough for me." Haven looked down at the now chilled tea she hadn't touched. _Unmarked?_

"And then there's the Legitimacy.."

 _Legitimacy..._ She didn't know what Legitimacy was but would remember the name for later.

"In yet, you didn't hand her over to the Ministry for that reward." The old woman said in an amused tone. "Why would you give up such a plentiful bounty?"

 _Me? A bounty?_ She thinks to herself as she feels her heart drop.

Snape would stay quiet, and she snuck a glance into the kitchen to see her guide picking his the wooden table top.

"Severus." Minerva pushed again, her voice softer and just out of her ear shot.

A quiet minute went by of silence before Snape spoke up. "You know as well as I do that the Ministry is corrupted." A pause. "I suppose... The thought of the Dark Lord acquiring such an amount of unrestricted and moldable power seemed to me... unsettling."

The old woman looked towards her and Haven dropped her eyes.

"What about, Lucius?"

"He won't tell anyone." His whisper assured. 

It was the strength in his voice that would keep Minerva from furthering asking any more questions about Lucius, but Haven could fully believe that that creature was not a man to be trusted. Still, it seemed there was a deeper running issue than what she knew.

"Should we alert the Order then?" Minerva asked exhausted and running out of options.  
  
_The Order, Dark Lord. Legitimacy. Ministry Of Magic, Lucius....._

"I will contact, Albus." The guide speaks and another name is dropped for Haven to remember.

Minerva nodded and looked back to her.

"What's her real name?" her voice was light and thoughtful.

"She refers to herself as, Haven," His voice was cold, "though I place reason in the suspicion of that being more of a dream than a name."

"How can you possibly know that?" Minerva asked looking back slowly at the child.

After a pause in which two waited eagerly in, he pulled together an honest response.

"I don't know."

**Severus Snape:**

Something else sat festering in the protection of his mind that he wouldn't speak aloud. He was bothered by her familiar energy that tugged at his subconscious, only irritating him further when finding no reason or memory behind it. A greater strain tightens his neck as once again he reminds himself that this shadow of a stranger that he can't place, is one of the almost none that he can't read.

But he wouldn't say any of that. Not to anyone.

"Where will she stay tonight? Albus-" Minerva's voice broke through his clouding thoughts and before he could interrupt her, another voice did first.

"I don't want to stay with anywhere. I want to leave."

The two adults turned and looked down at the voice that broke their conversation. Haven had gotten up and come to them without any notice. Being teachers for as long as they had been, Severus was able to pinpoint that the girl was fed up and acting out in fear, hunger and the washing of overwhelming exhaustion towards the sudden attention and the events of the day.

She wasn't happy, was very hungry and she certainly wanted to leave.

Minerva opened her mouth to speak but Severus stepped ahead and began.

"Go on then." Both Haven and Minerva stared at him.

"You wish to leave? You may leave." He insisted further.

"Severus!" The older women hissed and he raised his hand to her.

"No, Minerva. If she wants to leave, she can." Severus's eyes glared at the older witch and he tilted his head slightly before turning back to Haven. Straightening his back he held his himself in a threatening posture as he waited.

Haven stared at him, then at Minerva, then to the front door before returning again to him. He gave her an arch of his brow and another parting nod. Of, course he knew the cold chill of the outside was hardly gone from her bones, and the failure to collect anything today would push her out into the weather. It was dark now, she wouldn't want to go, but he'd be sure she would vocalize her desire to stay. 

"But," The darkness of his voice brought the chill of outside in. "If she were to ever wish for somewhere to go. She can just remember this address."

Leaving on that, he moved into the kitchen, his dark figure fading into the shadows soundlessly. Minerva and Haven stood silently together, feeling the weight of his words hanging in the air.

"Well. Go on then." Minerva easily forced a strictness into her voice.

From the shadows, he would watch as Haven took cautious steps backward until her hand met the brass door handle. With a turn of the knob, he watched as Minvera started to turn her heel and begin to follow him just as the door was opened. The two met eyes, but didn't say anything. He watched as the sudden bite of the night cold autumn air lashed her face when she opened the door, bringing her to immediately shiver to her bones. As predicted, she pushed back inside and shut the door quickly.

Havens eyes held on the wood, her breath caught in her throat as she curled her shoulders against the eyes landing on her back. He knew she knew she had to turn around, and that as much as he knew she wanted to stand there staring at the door until tomorrow morning, He knew she knew she couldn't. So, with a deep breath, he watched her rotate around before raising her eyes to meet those of the adults who watched her.

He stepped from the shadows.

"Problems?" He asked in a sarcastic bite as he strolled back into the living room, sipping from a hot cup of tea and raising an eyebrow.

"It's cold out," Haven mumbled [pathetically, looking at the steaming cup.

"And? You want to leave remember?"

"Yeah..- I know, but..-"

"But?" He said sharply, his voice raising.

"I don't want to anymore..." Her voice broke against her will which immediately brought her to feel small and weak and her eyes to sting.

He watched her glaring at one spot on the wooden floor as if she was trying to burn a hole in the ground with her embarrassment. He knew what he was doing, and grinned a dark grin. Then, he tried again to read her mind, to divulge her identity but again, only as his powers began to seep through her mental cracks, a harsh, migraine triggering slam hit him, and he was cast out painfully. 

He furrowed his brow and turned away from her.

"Can I..: She started, "go with you...Maybe?"

When the girl referred to him, Severus stopped his retreat into the kitchen and stood stalk with his back to her.

Minerva quickly spoke up, "my dear, I don't think Severus is prepared for comp-"

"Yes. Yes, she can." He said in a low voice as he slowly turned around.

Minerva stared for a moment as he did his best to avoid the meaning behind her glare.

"Severus." She started, "Do you really think that's.. appropriate.. due to your current-"

"It was her request. And after all-" He turned to Haven, "It will only be for one night..."


	4. Spoils

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A long chapter, so there might be some extra grammar issues. Heads up. lol

**Chapter 4 : Spoils.**

* * *

**Haven:**

With a small gust of wind, her body broke into a shiver as their feet trudged along the white stone sidewalk. It was raining much harder now, and the falling water cast a colder chill than just what hung in the air. He had purchased her a bag of crisps and pop when she protested her hunger but was given the option to hold them until later or to bring her hands to the cold air so that she could feed herself. With Severus in the lead, they passed identical housings that lined identical streets and she held her coats tightly around herself and tilted her face away from the wind with her chin buried deep in her sweaters. She thought of how astounding it was that the man who walked just slightly in front seemed so unaffected by the chill, as he continued to travel with a confident vulture like stride and a glare set to match.

They would continue walking in silence until the yards turned small and fenced, the buildings turned to gated shops, and until Severus steered them under an awning aside the empty main street where without notice, Haven, who had her eyes watching the heels of the man, walked right into him.

When she looked up, she met the dark mocking smirk breaking the linings of his mouth.

"Lesson one," His tone matched that of the vile and mockery that she had heard from the sour children's home teachers and Heads, "always keep your head up. Lesson two," He held up two black-gloved fingers for a moment, "there is more than one way to track magic, and all magic leaves a trail just as every person does. Even you. Tell me, what is a secure way we can move freely from the traces of magic."

Even though the man had used his harsh teaching tone, the one of directness and inpatients that many would look away from, Haven was unusually accustomed to such treatment and easily held eye contact longer than most as she thought to herself before pulling up in a nervous but audible tone, "We don't use magic?"

"Correct."

Pushing his hood slightly more forward, Severus turned around and led her down a set of nearby stairs that would bring into the belly of the city and to the T station where they would travel.

Being the very wee hours of the pouring weekend morning, there was very little traffic and the platforms were only lined by a few sullen looking individuals and bottomed out homeless. None of which she knew. Severus would keep them away from the little amount of interaction that could be made by the strung out and propositioning, and together they stood at each others side in silence at the end of the platform. It had been when he paid for her ticket that somewhere inside her, an anger started rising again. He had offered to house to her, but he acted as if the offer was forced and she didn't like that he wasn't as kind as his offer.

As much as she wanted to turn around and leave on a separate train, something inside continued to stop her.

It was the realness of every child's fantasy that was currently playing out before her, that had held her with the strange man. And as she followed him aimlessly through sliding doors of rumbling trains and changing platforms, she had held her eyes on his back though her attention was on the day and her body moved in silent autopilot. These people, their names, the clothing they all wore...and the actually done, magic. That fact she had cast magic! It was everything out of a storybook. A chance meeting. A fair princess saved from hell on the back of a large black crow. And she for one, was not just going to walk away from it all.

Her small smile faded as the surrounding silence grabbed her attention and halted her steps. Realizing how much she hadn't been watching where she was going, she found herself alone, spinning around in a panic on the center of the empty, dual subway platform. The silence screamed in a lasting ring as the eerie silence thickened the air that warned of a darkness approaching. Startled, her eyes flew upwards to the newly flickering lights above that only added to the surreal feeling that rose around her.

An echo of squeaking spun her around and her eyes widened on a large, fat rat that stalled a moment before scampering over the side of the platform and onto the steel rails of the track below. For a second, she could have sworn that old, fat rat had turned to her and stared right at her before lifting its paw and... had it really just waved at her?

Finding her steps trailing along with the scampering rats direction, she traces her eyes up the rail and notices with a miss of a heartbeat, that there is a figure standing at the large black mouth of the tunnel. Its moon-white white face shining as the only thing against the voiding blackness that created him. With a foolish bravery, she moved up the platform further, trying to get a clearer view of what was on his face. A sudden gasp erupted from her, jumped her heart and froze her steps all at the same time. Before her was what looked like a highly deformed man, well, what she could only guess was a man. He had no noes and instead slits that matched his snake-like eyes that narrowed in hunger towards her when met. Finding herself unable to break away, they stared at each other, its lips breaking into a horrifying smile when a voice that was neither in the air nor in her head sounded, weaving like whisping silk through her skull

The station begins to shake around her.

 _ **It's been sssso long...**_  She hears the voice clearly through its haze, _ **And you have come to ssssso much hurt... I knnnow your pain... and I cannnn teach you how to conquer ittt.. Your magic is different than theirssss... allow me... allow me to make you ... a God.**_

She jumped as a train sped by her from the opposite track while at the same time, a heavy hand lands on her shoulder forcing her to jump around once more. Her heart now thumping through her chest, she looks into the forced, sarcastic concerned eyes of Snape who hovered above her, watching her with a raised eyebrow. 

"Where did you go?!" She exclaimed angrily, suddenly feeling the sense of abandonment over the surprise that sent her into jitters.

"I should rephrase myself from earlier. Lesson one, always pay attention.."

She looked around the tall man to where the deformed man had been standing, but found he had since vanished from the mouth of the blacked out tunnel. She wouldn't mention that she saw him follow her gaze before he turned on his heel as the light of their train broke the blackness that approached their platform from the opposite darkness. Glancing around once more for the entity or the rat, Haven followed Severus to the yellow line before following onto the train behind him.

After leaving the city they would sit until her eyes would drop and eventually close, waking when the conductor on the microphone called the last stop and Snape's elbow knocked her arm. Keeping a heavy hand latched on her forearm, he kept her in her seat until three stops after the supposed last where they would step off the train and onto a damp, quiet, overgrown platform.

With tired, half opened eyes that would keep his form in direct sight, she noticed a wooden sign as they turned out of the otherwise empty space.

 _ **Spinners End,**_ was etched in basic lettering and she looked up at the back of Severus in confusion as they walked on. She had memorized all the train stops but had never once seen this particular stop or even traveled this far on that same train that always before had turned around.

What felt like longer than it probably was, eventually, as they passed the sets mirror house set ups, he quietly lead her tired, shuffling feet up a single, four step, grey stone stoop. With a glance at her, his hand took the handle and he opened his front door for her to enter first. She noted that she never saw a key but was to tired to ask about it.

She held her breath as she stepped into the small home that was only made smaller by copious amount of books and papers that sat stacked and covered the vast majority of surfaces. The room she turned into on her immediate right was dimly lit and already warmed by a roaring fire contained in the hearth along with scattered candles that matched the fashion of the home of the elderly witch.

A sudden, hard breath was pushed out of her in a gasp as the force of the mans hand locked tightly around her throat before shoving her against a nearby wall and up off her feet. While he choked her, he forced her to look at him, allowing him to see her wince under the shock of pain as his wand pushed painfully under her ribs.

"I haven't forgotten finding your hand in my pocket, and tonight can go one of two ways." His emotionless, orblike eyes glared at her, "Lucky for you, it's your decision. You can either, attempt taking something that is not yours and I will kill you just as I've killed thief's in the past.  _Or,_  and I personally recommended this option, you stay silent and keep your hands to yourself."

She wanted to ask why he even wanted her there. What compelled him to take her request. She wanted to know what was going to happen tomorrow. She wanted to declare she was done with all the pulling around. She wanted to stomp and argue that she was a being as well. She didn't want to do all this again tomorrow and she didn't want to be threated. But, it was already so late and her mind twinged painfully in a sudden attack against her exhaustion that she forced herself to forget. With an irritated growl, Snape released her neck and dropped her feet to his floor before backing away.

"Good. The room is up the stairs and to the left. Second door." Severus whipped around on his heel and left her there just as the sound of a kettles hiss rang through the air from deeper inside the flat.

Left alone, she looked around the room from where she stood rubbing her throat. She eyed the covers of the nearby books that were wrapped in old leather bindings. She examined the beauty of the hand written scripture that was printed perfectly on old looking papers that sat by her immediate side.

"You can move away from the wall now." He mocked, stepping from the kitchen holding a cup of tea while another mug floated beside him, "unless you've done something wrong already."

She hadn't moved when she heard his nearly silent steps come back into the room, and when he chose to speak, his voice had raised her eyes to him slowly.

Snape had, with the magic that enticed her so, placed what looked like a cup of hot coco for her on the small table before sitting himself in a comfortable looking armchair and opening the book on his lap in a concluding motion.

As she took her first steps away from the door and carefully she walked to the outer edge of the family room, eyeing all the old leather bound books, animal skulls, trinkets, bottles and jars that were filled with gooey and gross looking things. As she traveled she became numb to the glare Severus would cast towards her watchfully. She was curious towards these things she had never seen and, she guessed, that her interested gazes amused him. Why else would he watch her so?

* * *

**Severus:**

From behind her, his eyes would narrow when he witnessed her small hand move up and land gently a dull green jar with a small whipping eel-like creature inside. He chose to place his cup on the side table loudly, bringing her to spin around and her fingers to tighten into a fist with her withdrawing hand, her eyes set on him in guarded caution.

He nodded, and she cautiously continued her looking.

At one point he would watch her eyes widen on an old, hardcover book that lay on a stand. It was a magical creature book if he remembered properly and he crooked an eyebrow when she stopped at it. He watched on in silence as her fingers ran lightly over the parchment page and with a glance in his direction, she pulled the heavy book from the stand and brought it over to him.

"That's a mermaid, right?" she asked, glancing up at him with cautious eyes.

He broke his gaze away from hers and to the pages, she held before him. After a glance, he would take the book for himself as her arms wavered slightly to the weight.

"Yes." He said quietly, returning his eyes to her.

" Sirens I think they are called. They're supposed to sing these songs, and it hypnotizes sailors into driving their boats into the rocks."

"Where did you learn that?" He asked with just enough interest for her to accept, and he leaned back into his chair as she started.

"I've read, Oedipus Rex." She stated calmly as if it weren't anything special.

Within his accepting head nod, she found a break of comfort with the man and she unzippered her wet jackets and looked at him as where to place them. Soundlessly, he eyed a wooden chair by a desk that Haven turned to see too before hanging her jackets over the head. She noticed his body tensed when she turned back to him, a familiar motion that she ignored as she continued closer to him and stopped at his side.

After a moment of thought and flipping, he lands his finger on the page he lands on, "What about this one?"

"That's a centaur." Her answer is definite, her voice holding her cold street tone but he saw in her eyes a different far away story.

"Correct." He nodded as he turned a few pages before settling.

"And this?"

"A pixey. Nasty animals." She glanced up from the page to Severus who gave a huff and raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?" He decided to push her knowledge without looking away from the page.

"Yeah. They are actually really mean and have a likeness to get people into trouble." She looked at him with her own sense of pride cracking through her eyes as she received a side faced smirk and nod in return. He decided to test the extent of her knowledge and turned to the page explaining Dementors. She moved closer to him and the book and stared hard at the picture.

"I don't know..Grim Reapers?" she sighed shaking her head.

"Close, but no. Do you know this one?" He flipped to his final test that his finger marked.

"A Hippogriff." she said confidently.

Severus leaned his weight back in his chair in thought. Her knowledge seemed to be that of stories and not from any sort of formal education. Still, he figured that at least he wasn't dealing with a complete idiot and that was something to be accepted in this circumstance.

There was something about her. Something he couldn't place that was driving him to a quiet madness.

He watched her slip the book from him and take it for herself.

In the time that would pass, he would think to himself from his spot in his chair as he watched her get lost in the book before her as she sat on the floor using his coffee table as a desk. Into that night, he would answer what she asked him, every question after question about all the different creatures that struck her interest. Which was quite a lot of them. It was a different style of teaching, one Severus couldn't say he fully hated. Her questions showed interest and her repeating back showed her dedication to remember his words and soon enough, he noticed her sentences slow and her eyes start to droop.

"Time for bed." He concluded shutting the large book for her with a wave of his hand.

"Not yet." She said quickly, grabbing the page she was on and flipping the book open again before it closed. Stifling a yawn and pulling the book closer, she ignored him and went back to the pages.

He didn't like children much. Hell, he didn't like anyone, and the only reason he could keep control at having his orders ignored was that he was very much exhausted as well.

"Why? He mocked harshly.

"Because I'll never have another chance..." Her voice broke.

"And, why would you say that?" His eyebrow rose as he watched her in silence.

"Because this is only for tonight."

Severus's retort caught in his throat as he watched her eye's scan the pages not so much reading, but looking at the pictures and taking in all she could. At one point he would move on from his chair in an attempt to rile her to the thought of being alone. But, she was used to the darkness and knew its horrors would not touch her here unless it came straight from him. He ended up stalling and watching her silently from the stairs. He waited until the book was pulled from the table and carried to the couch where she lay on her stomach and continued to flip. She flipped pages until she faded away with her cheek pressed against the book and when this finally happened, with a flick of his wand, the throw blanket landed itself gently over the girl, and with a final spell he turned up the stairs as the lights gave away to blackness.

* * *

**Haven:**

Around nine that morning, Severus Snape slinked down the stairs dressed in semi-loose fitting nightwear that included a  basic T-shirt, long fleece pants, and bare feet. In passing to the kitchen, he turned his head and stopped on the bottom stair, his body and mind frozen of all movement. His eye's held to the child who still slept soundly on his couch that he had somehow forgotten about. Somehow he felt awkward about the situation and the feeling affecting him in his own home immediately set him on a jaw tightening edge.

Making his way into his kitchen he would go on to crack a pair of eggs over a pan and watch them sizzle on the stove. His plan used a few times before seemed to work again and soon enough, Haven came shuffling into the kitchen rubbing her eyes and pulling on her dried coat.

"Thank you for last night, I -"

"Sit." He was short and he stood with his back to her.

"No, thank you." Her voice slipped into a chill of the streets she would soon return to, "I have to leave, I have people to meet."

And she did, but her answer was not what he expected and she watched him turn to see her already dressed and zippered with her pack slung over her shoulder. Here, there was a moment of freezing where Haven realized that Severus wasn't sure about releasing her and she took a step back over the threshold into the living room.

"I have food on the stove." his method to stall received only a head shake.

"I appreciate it. I do. But, I have people to meet and it's twenty back from the supposed last stop just to even start heading where I need to go."

Without another choice, he gave a sigh and walked through the kitchen and followed her towards the front door. It was then she turned to him, unsure of what to say as the man reached into his pocket and pulled a white envelope that she found being extended to her. It was enough for food and a few nights stay in a barn or on a workhouse cot, more than she could get from a day of stealing and enough to sustain for a few good meals after that...

"Why?" Was all she found herself able to say.

"Final lesson. Never question generosity."

He nodded as her eyes held back pain and he opened the door, watching her head lower and her feet shuffle over the threshold. She started down the stairs defeated. She had forgotten the witches address and she didn't remember how to make the train continue past the last stop. Her story was over. The devil's illusions casting shadowed hopefulness in evil games. After she this, she would only find magic in stories.

"Two stops after the last stop." Severus' voice came quietly from behind her.

"Huh?" She asked turning to look up at him.

"Two stops after the final stop. Yellow line."

"I don't know how." She leveled her weakness with the man.

"You do now."

And with that, he shut the door and she turned around wide-eyed before making her way down the street repeating his flat number over and over.

….

She had long since left but Severus was still leaning against the inside of the door. He didn't understand why he invited her back, hell, besides the irritating biting of a forgotten past meeting, he didn't know why he invited her with him in the first place. His gut twisted, warning him of unknown events to come if things were to be continued. He could walk away right now. He could kick her from this life while saving her own. He could slip her something and drop her off somewhere and tell Minerva whatever he wanted. She would continue her life, oblivious to the fact magic existed outside of books.

She could be saved.

 _But if she were found by the wrong people...-_ He stopped his thoughts and ran his hand through his hair as he let out a low groan.

It was too early for this.

* * *

**Haven:**

The back roads of London were a dangerous place to tread, and the night only allowed the evil to bleed into main streets. To survive, you had to act the part as well as look it. Being a female among criminals and addicts was a dangerous line to dance and early on she learned people were not kind.

She sat on a haystack of the generous farm owner's barn and she looks into a dirty mirror she holds with one hand as she clips randomly at her hair, failing in any kind of neatness or equal length. Her hair was a very brown/black and constantly stuck out in different directions, mixing this by using a deeper voice she was a very convincing boy.

Unlike most of the other street kids, she decided not to work at a factory for food and place to sleep. Like most of the orphans, she wanted no part in an orphanage or foster care. She had watched enough kids cough up blood from the fumes or run away from overcrowded homes to willingly tread in those areas.

A draft blew into the barn and she shivered within her bones, pushing herself deeper into the haystack and covering herself with a newly purchased blanket. That night the purring of a nearby barn cat would lull the exhausted and paining girl to sleep.

* * *

In her dreams, she stood to her feet and brushed the dust from her clothing while looking around the barren and desert-like surroundings. After a silent moment of thought, she pinched herself and when she felt nothing, she realized she was dreaming.

The rattling of a snaketail echoed through the sky like thunder and she spun around to see an older boy standing yards from her by a large dead log that was not there before.

"Hello?" She called, and the boy began walking towards her.

He was an older boy, with short brown hair and wearing a green and black robe with a matching color tie. A silver badge that was pinned over his heart showed a green snake, and above that he wore a gold plated pin that read "Head Boy".

"Hello, Jessica," The boys voice was warm in contrast to his dark smile.

She took steps back and widened her eyes.

"How do you know my name?"

"I never haven't." He stopped walking and showed her his opened hands.

"What do you want?" She asked, and instead of the boy responding, a familiar voice invaded her mind.

_**I came to make you a God.** _

The boy smiled as she shook the voice from her head.

"Now here we stand, my love. On the eve of the first page of your story. Every fantasy you've ever dreamed is about to happen and I'll show you how do everything you've ever wished.. Come with me, Jessica." The boys hand was extended, "and I promise no one will ever hurt you again."

"Who are you?" she asked walking up to him.

"My name, is Tom Riddle. "


	5. Chapter 5: To Dig A Proverbial Grave

**Chapter 5: To Dig A Proverbial Grave**

**SeverusPOV:**

He hadn't told her that he probably wouldn't be at the flat if she ever returned, and the embarrassing lack of control he had already felt had prevented him from saying so. School was in session and he was continuously busy with studies but found time in the middle of the next week, when the sun was dipping low and the sky was painted a cloud mixed red did he finally return and search for traces of her.

When he arrived, as expected and moreover, hoped, there was no one there and he quietly stepped up to the front door. He ran his hand over the wooden slate and felt his palm pulse as he located where she had knocked a day or so before. Stepping back and dropping his hand he half-heartedly looked around. Here and there, she had left evidence of her presence that would lay unnoticed to the untrained eye. He looked around at his further surroundings before kneeling and sliding a muggle white envelope under the doormat, allowing a corner to lay exposed before turning around, descending the few stone steps, and walking back up the darkening street where he had come.

That night, he sat hunched low in an armchair at the back corner of the staff room, his leg resting on a footstool, his foot twitching irritably at twice the speed of the ticking clock. Albus was going on about the end of Christmas schedules, exams all along with the trip to Hogsmeade. He adjusted uncomfortably and rest his elbow on the armrest and started biting his thumbnail in what could be seen as an uncharacteristic uneasiness.

His mind was other places than unconscious, very old habits and as he watched out the small white stained glass window next to him, he became more unsettled the more the snow kept piling up. Winter came extremely early this year and although he hadn't seen Haven in a little over a month, every week or so he would return to the flat to find the envelope gone and replaced with a small stone, all of which currently sat in a jar on one of his office shelves. Something that he kept promising himself he would throw out.

Now, he watched from inside as the snow fell hard and gathered quickly across the land. He had heard from passing students it was going to slip far below freezing tonight.

"Severus?"

Severus's tooth broke through his nail as his attention lifted to the staring Headmaster.

"Everything alright, Severus?" The old man asked again, looking over his glasses.

"Yes, my apologies." He cleared his throat, "I have everything planned and prepared as I do every year." He paised. "Headmaster. I have also decided to go home this Christmas."

A few teachers would look at each other as a few others whispered commentary as the darkened man who never took leave, informed of his first year away. He moved his gaze to the back of the couch in front of him as the headmaster agreed and continued on. He scolded himself mentally on eyes turned away. Obviously, this was not the child's first snow, she had been molded for the streets many years ago. He had no reason to waste attention on this... It took an irritated moment of self-control, but eventually, he shut the thought of the child out of his head and allowed his bored state to bring him to linger on other topics.

After all, if she did die, he figured, so would most of his current problems.

Severus felt his lip curve upwards darkly as his eyes slid to look out the window again.

….

The next time Severus returned to his flat would be within the final two weeks before Christmas break and he noticed the snow on the stoop lay untouched. Upon further inspection and some pushing of white powder, he found the corner of the envelope still sticking out from under the mat. Bending down, he pulled the mat away to see the envelope indeed lay untouched with money still inside. There were no stones or signs of disturbance and the door held no magic aura of her touch. He looked around uncomfortably unsure of what to do, and soon, with no other choice from a quickly fading time limit, he left the envelope where it was and turned around, walked down the stairs and silently away from the house.

….

It seemed to him, that winter would be a continuing on in a fury that year as the next two days brought more heavy snowfall in a back to back fashion, but eventually found himself apparating to the flat after personal anxiety became a straining nuisance. Leaving Hogwarts during the week was against code for students and staff outside a few exceptions, but he figured this would not be considered one of them so he didn't ask when he decided to leave.

The three snow storms over the weeks had gathered a little over four feet and on the sidewalks of Spinners End, the snow had been piled high on either side to show it's salted concrete walkways. The wall of slick snow reached waist height to him which with it's glazed iced surface that glint against the setting sun he slowed his steps as he approached the stoop. Ths area around him was an empty markless area to what he saw, but his step stopped immediately and retracted swiftly as a burning feeling erupted from under his foot.

He leaned over and quickly found the source of the power. A blood drop rest on the sidewalk and he reached his hand out, feeling for anymore and quickly found the trail. He looked around at the snow walls and found long uneven drag lines that had gone unnoticed, which, he assumed, hinted to weakness or imbalance. His eyes scanned the area in front of him once more, and once hitting the snow-covered stairs did he see the deep red droplets leading up to the snow broken stone steps. He followed next to the trail, slowly up each stair and he bit his cheek when a grouping of blood sat shining against the snow before the door. He traced his hand over the door and frowned when the aura felt weak and he scanned the deep brown surface and found the dirt and blood marks from her touch in the grains of wood.

Straightening up, he looks around. The blood was somewhat fresh, so he figured she still might have been close by and he looked for the trail, any trail past his stoop to the edges of the flat. Traveling down the stairs he began checking the sides of the snow, finding a break in the wall further past the stoop. He would follow with the tracks, pulling off the sidewalk and into his yard, he followed the dragging motion trail in a path that lead around to the back of the flat where he stopped. Finishing the track with his eyes, his face turned dark as found the steps leading to his apothecary shed.

Soundlessly, he continued on, only stepping where footsteps were already made in a silence he mastered long ago, he grits his teeth and pulled his wand when he noticed the padlock had been smashed from the latch and his eyes landed on the displacement of snow below that showed the door had been pushed opened before. It was then he leaned back on his heel and cast a spell that forced the door to fully open, flying a wave of snow before it from its path. With his wand extended, he stepped inside the doorway and found Haven laying under the bottom shelf where for a moment he just stared down at her as she shivered from either fear or cold, he couldn't tell and didn't care.

"Always, cover your tracks." He said briskly.

He reached down and grabbed her by the jacket scruff and pulled her through the snow and in through the back door of the flat. He slammed the door behind them and quickly left her shivering in the kitchen. When he returned, he held a basic pouch of first aid and when he noticed she hasn't moved an inch, he gave to her a harsh command for her not to be stupid, and to take off her soaked shoes and jackets. Leaving the pouch on the old, wooden table, he grabbed her hands checked her fingers for numbness as he wiped dirt from her road-rashed knuckles and bloodied fingers before pushing three bottles into her hand.

"Take them." He instructed before turning his heel and walking towards the living room again.

Her voice shook as she popped open the caps. "What is it?"

"Cold medicine. " He said over his shoulder before continuing his way out, leaving her sight.

He stopped in his living room and ran his fingers through his hair anxiously. Helping people reminded him of helping cats; once helped, they tend to come back often and sooner or later would find their way into your home. Which is where she was. Again. Taking a deep breath to regain himself out of sight, he stands up to an intimidating posture before turning on his heel. He returned to see her finishing the last bottle and making a sour face before coughing.

He was ready and used her distraction to his favor for when she looked up, she would look up straight into the tip of his wand. Her fearful eyes triggered a sick entertainment and violent arousal inside of him, and her trembling only made him grin more pronounced. His breathing slowed and thickened in this throat as she began to cower.

"Please! I'm sorry!" The voice was grotesque music in his ears, "I didn't take anything. Nothing. I promise. I was cold and dizzy and I didn't know what to do. I'll get you a new lock... Please.."

He stepped closer and watched as tears begin growing in her eyes and inside him something ticked. An evil. He blinked back the eccentric and violent feeling and with a flick of his wand he watched her take a deep breath and wait for death.

He watched her blankly, and when it became apparent that death didn't seem to come, she squinted one of her eyes open and then the other. Her body relaxed and her breath came out awkwardly as she felt her warm clothing with her skin and then quickly, with her fingers.

Dry.

Everything was dry.

She patted her shirt and pants and looked at the dry clothing that sat in a heap on the floor as Severus grinned to himself at her surprise until she checked her hat. She had immediately squeaked in pain as a rip of agony slid across her face. He watched as she slowly slid the hat off exposing her forehead. In a flash that she instinctively fought against, he grabbed her arm out of the way and stepped closer, her own steps moving back as she held her hand fisted within his grasp.

"Stop it." His voice bit angrily at her tantrum as his eyes locked on the deep and infected gash that ran from her hairline, across to the left side of her forehead and dipped down behind her ear

"What is this?" He demanded, loosening his grasp as her fighting stopped. A feeling, a sense of dark magicked energy residue catching his attention.

When she didn't reply, his lip snarled and her knees bowed under his painfully tightening grasp.

"It was just some guys." She proclaimed. "They asked me how I paid for five nights in a row and how I got that kind of money, then they tried to take what was left." she quickly exclaimed as her mind burned under his eyes.

"Tried?" He guessed because he knew there was a lie somewhere in her claim.

She clenched her teeth in pain and looked away but before he had a chance to push the question a light buzzing went off in his pocket. His grip was taken off her wrist and shoved into his pocket where out he pulled out a small timer. His time was up and he had to get back to the school or he would indeed be in trouble. They were a week from holiday, and he was furious this was happening now. Quickly thinking through his options he settled only on one.

"Come." He instructed harshly.

He waited for her by the door, tapping his foot in impatience, his arms crossing angrily while she pulled on her dry sweaters. They quickly left the house and Severus would push her out ahead of him making the girl break out in a light jog as when she fell short of his speed, his fingertips would dig into her back.

"Hey! What are-"

In that moment, after a minute of walking, he turned around and grabbed her arm tightly and the last thing she saw was the blackhole eyes of the angry man glinting dangerously as the world dissipated around them. In a flash, everything sped by them, the world gone into a speeding haze as their bodies molded and twisted along. Soon enough she felt her knees hit hard ground as her legs instantly gave away and at once as her body doubled over onto all fours, a sudden sickness bringing her to vomit onto the dirt ground.

Severus waited quietly, standing over her with his eyes moving around their perimeter for the minute it took for her stomach to run out. Gripping her around the scruff of her coat when he deemed ready, he began walking her through large metal gates.

.

"Listen to me," He hissed as they approached a massive castle.

Havens steps had started to slow and the shadow clad man had slowed to a likened speed while maintaining a tension pull on her forearm as he lead her at his side. He allowed her to look around the moon lit grounds of Hogwarts and he would watch from his peripheral as she saw the castle in all it's moon casted magnificence which trumped any doubt he had about her abilities. If she couldn't the see the beauty, then she didn't have the eyes.

He tightened his jaw as he realized that may be more bad than good.

"Keep your head low, don't say a word." He said sharply in a low whisper, "if anyone says anything, you will not answer and let me talk, Understand?" He growled under his breath while scanning the area in front of him.

She didn't answer him and when her pull against him became too much, he stopped to look behind him, ready to insult and order. She was standing there in the moonlight and matching snow, her eyes wide, head tilted back as she stared up at the magnificent, beautiful castle.

A beauty he always seemed to take for granted until he was in the presence of someone who had never seen such a sight, he breathed out and surrendered himself, taking a moment to look up as well with the clouds of his breath hazing his vision in the cold winter air. Taking her scruff once again, he gave a tug which she followed obediently under and together they walked up the large stone stair set to the two massive doors.

He steered her through shadows and up a large front set of stairs where he would stop her, release her, and open the door a crack. After a moment, he pulled her inside and they together, with Haven held tightly at his side, they made their way quickly through the main hall. The travel across the ground was with him mostly pulling her against her awe, and he aimed her towards a set of doors that lay hidden next to the massive staircase.

"Professor Snape?"

Severus physically flinched as a young man's voice echoed through the empty hall behind them.

"Don't look." He whispered to just her as he released her sweater and spun around and put on his best demonic attitude he was known so well by, while she stood with her back turned, her eyes looking straight at the wooden door they were heading to.

It was the Weasley Head Boy. Percy. A smart boy, a good Head Boy which made him a hazard to him and the situation.

"And, who's that, professor?" The boy asked confidently, standing true to Gryffindor ways as he rose the quill to paper.

"Who are you?" Severus hissed with hard warning.

"Professor Snape, I am Head Boy, and has Head Boy I am instructed to know-"

"I am Professor Snape. This student is of my house and I will properly deal with his punishments."

"Well that's fine, Sir, but I must insist you give me his name. Professor McGonagall will want to know in the morning."

Severus took a harsh step at Percy. He was tired of this game and of the boy's stupidity.

"Go. Away." He snarled as he leaned in and the Weasley boy who finally seemed to get the point, lowered his parchment and quill.

Severus turned around and sharply grabbed Havens' shoulder and pulled her through the dungeon door, slamming it behind him so loudly the sound echoed the sleeping school. Once enveloped in the darkness, he pushed her ahead and let go of her clothing, allowing her freedom of the chase. He watched her walk for a moment before he easily moved by her and began to lead the way down the damp hallways.

....  
  
 **Koan POV**

"What is this place?" She asked in amazement as they stopped in front of what she could only swear was a real, moving portrait of a man dressed in heavy fur clothing stood against an ocean background. A painting that raised his eyebrow as it looked down at her.

"This, is my office." He mocked, as the door swung open.

He pushed her inside and quickly swept passed by allowing the portrait to close behind them on its own. She turned from the sight of the clicking doorway, to the fast paced teacher that had stepped around her and made his way towards a tall set of selves that he took a small collection of vials from.

She narrowed her eyes at his sudden harshness and took an uneasy step away as he turned to her. She didn't like the way he spoke to her, she didn't like the way his steps mimicked that of violent angry men. She didn't like how the stone walls that surrounded her brought her back to cells, to sewers, to work houses.

She noticed he kept his distance and allowed his head to tilt forward and for himself to give a sigh.  She looked up to see him watching her, her expression cold as stone and with his robes swinging in front of his leg, giving him a haunting appearance in the flickering candle lights against flickering the stone walls of the teachers office.

"This," He began in a cold and quiet voice, "is Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This is the school you should have been sent to and this is where I work."

Hey eyes widening in excitement, "You mean there are others? Like me?"

"Similar, to you." He said curtly taking up stride towards her.

"Take your hat off." He instructed changing the topic and dapping a potion onto a rag as she carefully lifted the beani off and from over the wound.

"Sit." He stiffly directed her to a chair and once again she followed his order without realizing why.

From there he placed himself slightly behind her, and landed three fingers on her forehead before slowly tilting her head back and her eyes to slide up to him.

He never looked at her directly in the eye and eventually, as he worked, she would be able to adjust her neck to look around that magical office. She looked at the full book shelves that mimicked the overcrowding organization of those at his home as he brought up the rag and dabbed not so gently against the wound. She winced to the pain pushing a breath out sharply through her teeth as her neck flinched away from him and the painful sizzle.

She quickly found his fingers tightening around her chin and forcing her back to him.

"Stop it!" He ordered as sharp as the pain that ran across her forehead. "This is helping you more than harming you. Enough complaining."

Haven had stiffened her body and tried her best to control her flinching and her noises throughout as she tried focusing on the room around her. She was hiding it better now, she figured this because he didn't scold her again, and for the remainder of the healing session he said nothing more until he was finished.

"I will take these off. Understood?" He completed, gesturing to the stitches as he began cleaning the desk top at their side.

She nodded and he moved away as she stood from the seat but only found herself leaning against the front of the large desk. With her weight leaning against edge she looked him over and crossed her arms as she did.

Turning back to her, he took a few steps before turning to face her, "I have to teach tomorrow, so you are staying the night here."

By here, he meant the couch he was currently pointing to and she looked behind her and nodded before sitting down in her assigned spot

"I will take you back tomorrow night. Goodnight." His voice held no emotions outside a slight irritation and before anything further could be said, he turned and sharply started to his bedroom.

"But, I have questions." her voice did not stop him, only slow the turn of the bedroom door handle.

"And I do not have answers."

..


End file.
